Process of forming a perforated web

A process of forming a soft and resilient web exhibiting a substantially continuous pattern of debossments or apertures, the debossments or apertures being formed by locally heated at predetermined points along the surface of the web, the process comprising;

• continuously bringing the web in contact relation with a forming structure exhibiting a substantially continuous pattern of apertures corresponding to the debossments or apertures of the web, the continuous pattern of the apertures extending from the outermost to the innermost surface of the forming structure,
• locally heating the region of the web at the predetermined points along the surface of the web by an energy source, the energy source heating the region of the web above its melting temperature range,
• applying a substantially uniform fluid pressure differential to the locally heated web at least in those regions to be debossed or apertured while the web is in contact with the forming structure, whereby the web is debossed or apertured at the predetermined points and generally maintains its surface structure at least in those areas in which the web is not debossed or apertured, and
• removing the debossed or apertured web from the forming structure.